Vertebrate Project - Basking Shark

Nervous System

Not much is known about the basking shark's nervous system, but scientists think that the nervous system makes the shark makes it virtually free of feeling pain.

The skeleton of the basking shark is partially calcified. The red muscle of the basking shark is aerobic and needs oxygen to function. The white muscle of the shark is anaerobic and does not need oxygen to function, the white muscle is used for the sudden bursts of speed.

Respiratory System

Water enters the gill chambers through the mouth. The mouth opens and closes to pump water over the gills to respirate. The blood in the gills absourb oxygen. The gill rakers protect the fragile gill filament from harmful substances in the water. The spiracles in the body deliver the oxygenated blood to the eye and brain through a seperate blood vessel.

Circulatory System

The heart is a two chambered, s-shaped tube. The blood flows from the heart to the gills and then to the body tissues. The basking shark has low blood pressure. The walls of the sacs that enclose the heart are rigid. This then creates suction to maintain the flow of blood. To maintain the flow of blood the basking shark must be constantly be swimming.

Digestive System

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhWaCYWqO9g

The esophagus is short and wide, which leads to the stomach. The stomach leads to a spiral valve which is twisted and coil to increase surface area to increase nutrient absourbtion. After the spiral valve is the rectum which is used to excrete waste from the sharks body.

Integumentary System

The basking shark has a cartilagenous skeleton and a streamlined body. They have a covering of dermal denticles that protect it from parasites and damage. The dermal denticles also help the shark to swim faster, although the basking shark only goes about four miles an hour.

Diet

Basking sharks are planktonic feeders. They swim with their mouths wide open and sift the water and plankton through their gill rakers. The excess water exits the body through gill slits. The gill rakers are shed in the winter, which is why the sharks lose weight during the winter months, and then are replaced in spring.